Appliance for chairs and the like



v Oct. 21,1947. M. w. WELLS I APPLIANCE FOR CHAIRS AND THE LIKE FiledJan. 2:2,v 1944 Patented Oct. 21, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEAPPLIANCE FQR CHAIRS AND THE LIKE Maynard W. Wells, Elkhart, Ind.Application January 22, 1944, Serial No. 519,274.

4 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in appliances for chairs and thelike and it consists of the matters hereinafter described and moreparticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

One of the objects of the present invention isto provide a lowtable-like appliance for use in connection with certain type of chairsor the like used by adults, so that a baby may be safely held in aseated position thereon, and at the same time be provided with aconvenient support for its toys, feeding dishes and the like.

Another object of the invention isto provide an appliance or this kindwhich while simple in construction, is of pleasing appearance, is lightin weight, strong and durable, readily handled in applying it to andremoving the same from a chair or the like and which may be made frommaterials abundantly available.

The above mentioned objects of the invention, as well as others,together with the advantages thereof, will more fully appear as thespecification proceeds.

In the drawing: a

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the appliance when applied to an adultseasy chair for holding a baby in a sitting position on said chair.

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the appliance.

Fig. 3 is a vertical detail sectional view through a part of theappliance, on an enlarged scale, as taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal detail sectional, view through certain partsshown in and on the scale of Fig. 3' as taken on the line i.--4 of Fig.3.

Fig. 5 is a perspective View of one of the legs embodied in theappliance.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 4 and shows the use of screws fordetachably securing the legs in place to the panel-like top, whereby thelegs may be placed fiatwise upon the underside of the top to make a flatpackage for wrapping and h pp The appliance, in general, is in the formof a relatively low table that includes a rectangular panel-like top,wider from side to side than it is deep from front to rear. In the rearpart of the top is a recess of such size and shape as to comfortablyreceive the torso of a typical baby. At each corner of and dependingfrom the top is an upright leg of such a height as. to space the top ina position above the seat of; a chair or the like, to which it isapplied, comfortably to accommodate the babys legs thereunder whileaffording support for the elbows and. forearms of the baby. Preferablythe panel-like top is made of relatively thin sheet material such asplywood, composite board or the like and to strengthen the same, a railis fixed to the bottom surface of each side and end and these rails meetat the corners of the top. Each leg has its opposite edges bevelled, at45 angles and each leg is positioned, diagonally of the associatedcorner with its bevelled edges engaged with and secured to parts of therails at the associated corner. Preferably, but not necessarily so, amoulding strip follows about the edge of the top to form anv upstanding.rounded, top flange extending above the top surface of the top so thatarticles placed on said surface may not be readily displaced therefrom.

If desired, a piece of tape or webbing having some flexibility may beused to open or close the open rear end of the recess. When said tape orwebbing is in the position closing said open end of said recess, it willengage the back of thebaby using the appliance and will prevent the babyfrom pushing the appliance forwardly and away from, itself, as the babymay sometimes .try to do.

Referring now in detail. to that embodiment of the invention illustratedin the drawing, the improved appliance includes a rectangular panelliketop I 0' wider from side to side than it is deep fromv front to rear.Preferably the top is made from a piece of relatively thin plywood orthe like and it, may have dimensions on the order of 16 x 20". Centrallyin the rear part of the panel is a rounded recess 5!, which is about9%." wide and deep.

On the underside of said panel-like top, there is secured to eachsidemargin thereof a rail strip I2l2. At the front margin and at the rearmargin of the top, at each side of the recess I! there are secured railstrips [3 and ill respectively. These rail strips meet the rail stripsl2r-el2 at the respective corners of the top. Wooden rail strips x ofproper length well. serve, the purpose.

Followin about the entire edge of the top is a moulding strip l5 whichoverhangs a part of g each rail strip and provides a rounded top edge I6disposed in a plane above the upper surface of the top, as best appearsin. Fig. 3. Preferably the, upper portion of saidmoulding strip overlapsthe marginal top surface of the top as also appears insaidFig. 3.

Associated with each corner of the top and depending therefrom is a legil, one of which appears in perspective in Fig.5. A leg about 6" highandmade of wood thick well serves the purpose. Preferably the sides ofeach leg are bevelled off at 45 angles in opposite directions asindicated at l8.

In applying the legs, each one is disposed diagonally of its own cornerso that its bevelled sides will engage snugly with the inner surfaces ofthe rail parts l2l3 and lZ-M respectively which meet at the corner forthe associated leg. Suitable nails are then driven through said railsfrom the outer surface thereof into the bevelled sides of the legengaged therewith, as best appears in Fig. 4. With the legs arranged inthis manner the bevelled surfaces of the legs are parallel with theedges of the top and provide relative sharp edges l9 that face away fromeach corner.

Along the inside of the rail associated with the front margin of thetop, I provide a bevelled filler strip 20 the purpose of which will soonappear. This strip appears in Figs. 2 and 3.

2| indicates a flexible member such as a piece of webbing or a piece ofstrap which is attached at one end to the rear edge of the top at oneside of the open end of the recess II. The other end of said member isprovided with a loop 22 or the like which is adapted to be detachablyengaged with a headed screw 23 or the like fixed in the rear edge of thetop at the other side of the open end of the recess. When said loop isengaged with the screw 23, the member 2| acts as a barrier orobstruction extending across the open rear end of the recess as bestappears in Figs. 1 and 2. When the loop 22 is disengaged from the screw23, the open rear end of the recess is unobstructed.

In Fig, 1, I have shown the appliance when applied to an adultsso-called easy chair that includes an upholstered seat 24, anupholstered back 25 and upholstered side arm rests 26.

In the use of the appliance, for its intended purpose, in connectionwith the above mentioned chair, the baby is seated centrally upon theseat 24 up against the back 25. The appliance is then slid into place onthe chair, rear margin first, so that the recess ll encompasses thetorso of the baby. The loop 22 of the member 2! is then engaged with thescrew 23 so that said-member closes the open end of the recess I l andapproximately engages the babys back.

With the legs I 1 of the appliance of the height mentioned, they spacethe top H] above the seat so that the babys legs are accommodatedthereunder. The top also provides a convenient support for the elbowsand forearms of the baby. Thus the baby may lean on that part of the topadjacent the recess. Also, with the depth of the top, from front torear, as shown herein, the babys toes are spaced inwardly from the frontedge of the top. However, should the baby squirm in such manner as toengage its toes on the front rail bevel strip 20, its toe cannot be usedin pushing the appliance as a whole forwardly because they will readilyslip off said strip. Furthermore, should the baby push the topforwardly, the member 2! will engage the babys back and limit movementof the top away from the baby to a minimum. Thus, the baby cannotdislodge the appliance from the chair with which the appliance is used.

With the legs made as described, the sharp corners formed by the loweredges thereof, facing in two different directions, provide a good gripfor the legs on the upholstery cover of the seat so that the appliancecannot be readily shifted laterally or forwardly thereon and displacedout of position by the baby.

With the appliance in the position mentioned,

its top provides a convenient surface for baby toys and feeding dishesand the like.

To remove the appliance from the chair, it is only necessary to detachthe loop 22 from the screw 23 and lift the appliance slightly upwardlyto raise the bottom end of the legs from the seat and then the appliancemay be pulled forwardly from and off the seat.

In Fig. 6, I have illustrated a modified way of fastening the legs I! inplace. As shown therein, screws 2'! are inserted through the lateralmargins of the legs from the inside thereof, to enter the associatedrail portions l2 and I3. With thi arrangement, the legs need not beapplied at the factory, but may be placed fiatwise upon the underside ofthe top for shipping purposes. This makes a neat flat package of theappliance. As the screws 21 and the holes in the legs and rails areprovided at the factory, the ultimate purchaser may readily apply saidlegs to the top.

The improved appliance is light in weight and easy to handle in applyingit to and removing it from an adults upholstered chair. When applied tosuch a chair it makes the same take the place of a conventional babys"high chair. It assists in teaching a baby to sit up and it safely holdsthe baby in position upon said chair so that it cannot fall therefrom.Also, it provides a convenient tray in front of the baby to receive itsplaythings and its toys as well as to receive dishes. bottles, etc. usedin feeding the baby.

While in describing the invention I have referred in detail to the form,arrangement and construction of the parts involved, the same is to beconsidered only in the illustrative sense so 'that I do not wish to belimited thereto except as may be specifically set forth in the appendedclaims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A table for use by an infant with his legs horizontal while occupyingthe seat of an adult's chair provided with a back, the table comprisinga panel-like top having a relatively wide and relatively deep recessextending inwardly from its margin to accommodate the body of the infanttherein, and to provide a rear edge portion on each side of the recesswhereby said rear edge portions engage the back of the chair while thebody of the infant is fully accommodated in said recess, and leg meansdepending from the panellike top to rest on the seat of the chairlocated to maintain the panel-like top approximately parallel to saidseat, said leg means being relatively short and so proportionedrelatively to the panel-like top and of such a length as to accommodatethe approximately horizontal legs of the infant beneath the panel-liketop while enabling the latter to form a rest for the forearms of theinfant.

2. A table for use by an infant according to claim 1 having a barriermember disposed across the said recess at the said rear edge portions.

3. A table for use by an infant according to claim 1 having a flexiblebarrier member spanning the rear of said recess, and means to separablyconnect one terminal of the flexible barrier member to said table.

4. A table for use by an infant according to claim 1 having frame meansprovided with a surface extending downwardly and forwardly from theunder surface of the top in order to deflect the feet of the infant incontacting the same.

MAYNARD W. WELLS.

(References on following page) REFERENCES CITED Number The followingreferences are of record in the file of thls patent: 126:213 UNITEDSTATES PATENTS 5 2,255,654 Number Name Date 2039922 1,134,720

128,739 Mahan July 9, 1872 6 Name Date Neal May 2, 1916 Boughton Feb.11, 1896 Ireland Apr. 30, 1872 Davis et a1 Sept. 9, 1941 Neats et a1 May5, 1936 Bradley Apr. 6, 1915

